A Shot In The Dark (A Captain Swan Fic)
by DarkLuminescence
Summary: Once in Neverland, Hook, Emma and her family begin their search for Henry. But after the group gets separated, Emma finds herself alone with Hook. They must learn to work together to survive and soon feelings begin to surface. (Meanwhile Neal wakes up for the first time since falling through a portal, only to find himself in the care of an old friend. Wendy Darling.)
1. Chapter 1

**Note:** _I've never written an actual fic before. Just drabbles and one shots. So I apologize in advance if this is really terrible and/or ooc. _

"It's...beautiful." Emma breathed, taking in the view of Neverland for the first time. As a child, this world had always just been a fantasy, one of the many fairytales her life had been nothing like. The wind picked up for a moment, and blew through her hair. She could already feel the magic the land had to offer. Which made her further question why both Hook and Rumplestiltskin seemed so weary to return. Of course, she thought of Henry, of Greg and Tamara forcing him through a portal to bring him here and knew that, perhaps, this land was far from what it seemed.

"For now." Hook said, guiding the ship forward. "However, it's true colours are much more apparent once night falls."

She turned to look at him, the sea reflecting in both his eyes. She noted the way he stood, very much at ease, as if he found comfort in the rocking of the ship. She wondered when _his_ true colours were more apparent, and whether or not she should keep trusting him. In the past hour or so, she found herself constantly questioning his intentions, wanting to take the chance that perhaps she wasn't wrong, not this time, not about him, but alas, fearing for the worse anyway. As genuine as he seemed to be acting, her guard was up, and if he did something, anything at all, that would get in the way of finding Henry, she wouldn't hesitate in leaving him behind. She's done it before, she sure as hell could do it again.

"You're staring, love." Hook met her gaze, a playful grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. "You must like what you see."

Emma rolled her eyes as she made her way to his side. She ran her hand idly over a few carvings nearby, noticing that they'd been scratched out. "How much further?" She asked, worry already getting the best of her patience.

"We're close. We just need to be careful. There are eyes everywhere on this land." His own hardened as he looked toward Rumple, who stood at the front of the ship. "We may need magic to keep ourselves off the Lost Ones radar. The last thing we want is a surprise visit from unwanted company."

"The Lost Ones?" Emma raised an eyebrow. "As in the Lost Boys?"

"Aye." He answered.

"And Peter Pan...he's bad?"

"You sound surprised." He turned to look at her, keeping his hook on the helm of the boat. Emma shrugged, a small smile dancing across her lips.

"I just grew up hearing otherwise." She wondered what Hook would say, if he had the chance to read the version of his and Peter's life that had become so known in her world.

He leaned toward her. "Perhaps that's part of his own doing. It must make it easier to lure the children here if he's recognized as someone trustworthy." Before she could think up something to say, his hand was on her back. She could feel his warmth through her jacket and she looked up at him, startled by his touch. At first she thought he was pulling her toward him, but in fact he was actually pushing her toward the wheel. She gave him a questioning look as she placed both her hands on the wood. You could tell from looking at it that it had endured many rough voyages, but as worn out as it was, it felt strong beneath her grip.

"You want me to steer?" She asked, looking back at him. "I don't know the first thing about sailing."

"That's why I'm going to teach you, love. It's something you ought learn." He placed his hand beside hers, leaning in till his lips were only inches from her ear. "It might come in handy in a place like this." For a moment all she could pay attention to was his close proximity. As much as she'd hate to admit it, the pirate had a strange effect on her, one she hadn't had the chance to place just yet.

"Do you see that?" He pointed to the carvings in the wood she had noticed earlier. She nodded, trying to focus her attention on it. "The P stands for Port, that's the left side of the ship. The SB stands for Starboard, which is the right side." He peered over her shoulder, looking towards the water.

"Since all we're doing is heading forward, the main thing you need to watch out for his drifting right or left. You want to keep on moving straight for now." He seemed so sure of himself when he spoke.

"Go a few notches to Starboard." The wheel creaked as she turned it, and the air picked up momentarily, brushing against her cheeks. For a mere second she felt almost _peaceful. _It didn't surprise her why Hook loved the waters so much. It seemed as though all of one's problems could drift away in the waves, leaving them with both hope and possibility for the future. But, thinking of Henry in danger snapped her back to reality almost instantly. Her future didn't matter if he wasn't in it. She glanced toward Hook. He seemed to be lost in own world, running a finger over the scratch along the carvings. Something sad flickered across his eyes, but it was gone the moment he looked up at her.

"Well would you look at that." He nodded toward her. "I told you that you'd make a hell of a pirate." Emma couldn't help but smile in response. It was faint, but it was present enough to earn a smile in return from him. They seemed to come freely when he was around her, as if he had no control on the matter.

"When did you tell her that?" Charming's voice interrupted both their thoughts. He eyed Hook with suspicion. The pirate didn't sit well with him, and there was something about the way he looked at his daughter that left a funny taste in his mouth. While his return earned him a tad of gratitude from both him and Snow, it didn't change the fact that Charming really wasn't very fond of him. Not in the slightest.

"One of the many times she proved to be." Hook smirked. Charming opened his mouth to speak, but Emma interrupted. She tapped Hook on the arm and motioned toward the rocks ahead.

"You should probably take over." She said quickly, moving aside to give him room. Charming hadn't even noticed she had been steering until she backed away. Hook easily manoeuvred the ship out of harms way and when Emma turned to look for Neverland it was suddenly much closer than it had seemed only seconds ago. She moved across the deck and closer to the railing, so she could a better view of the water. Both the fish and the shells partially buried beneath the sand seemed to glow. When her eyes reached the trees, they were nothing like she had ever seen before. While they did have many similarities to the ones from home, they were definitely of a different kind. A kind that doesn't exist in other worlds. Plants peaked out from behind the trees, they too holding a unique beauty she had never laid eyes on. The land had already shocked her into silence and left an almost unsettling feeling in the middle of her stomach and she hadn't even step foot on it yet. Hook began tapping his fingers nervously on the helm. It had been sometime since he had been there, but the memories hadn't faded. He knew exactly what he was getting himself into. He looked down as doubt clawed at his judgement, but the moment he thought of Bae and what Emma had said to him, he knew there was no way he could back out.

"Emma." Her name fell from his lips as though it was the most natural thing in the world. She turned to look at him. "Now might be a good time to ask Regina for her assistance." He refused to ask for Rumple. As much as he had moved on from his revenge, he wasn't quite ready to ask him for help.

"With what?" Charming crossed his arms as he raised an eyebrow.

"Why, with magic of course."


	2. Chapter 2

**Note:** _Thank you guys so much for the nice reviews. They are very much appreciated and they make this whole experience that much more fun! Expect some Neal/Wendy next chapter! _

"Will this work?" Emma asked, undoubtedly skeptical. Regina and Rumple were discussing which kind of magic would be more appropriate for masking the ship and their tracks, and Rumple had won, seeing as how he had_ "more experience"_ with that world than she.

"Probably not." Rumple leaned into his cane. "But I'd say it's worth a try, dearie, wouldn't you?"

Emma nodded, shifting her weight from her right foot too her left, unable to keep still. Despite the fact that they were only aboard Hook's ship for a little over an hour, it felt weird to walk on land again. The water hadn't been too rough, but it hadn't been completely calm either. The waves had shook it enough, that Emma had lost her balance a few times and now felt shaky. Although, that could just be her nerves getting the best of her. No longer able to stand in one spot, she walked a little away from the group. The water that surrounded the land seemed to go on forever. She began to wonder if there was anything else out there. Perhaps she would ask Hook once she got the chance. She continued to walk toward a large boulder, not very far from where they originally docked. Wanting to get a better view she pulled herself on top of it. Having expected nothing really, save for more sand, she was a tad startled to see that there were people just off in the distance. Women to be exact. They seemed to be swimming in a pool of water separate from the sea, yet close enough that it looked out of place. She thought about moving closer, but the moment she stepped forward a hand pulled her back.

"What the hell!" She gasped, tugging her arm from the sudden grip. She turned to find that Hook had climbed up beside her and she hadn't even heard him. He held his hand and hook in the air as if to show her he meant no harm, a silly, little grin already gracing his features.

"Now, now, love. This is not the time nor place to be so rough. People are watching." He chuckled. She turned toward her parents, Rumple and Regina but none of them seemed to be paying much attention to them. They were more focused on the hiding of the ship. She turned back to Hook and he pointed in the other direction, pointed to the women who had been swimming. There were three of them. The two furthest from her both had long, dark hair. However, one of their's was wavy, while the other's was straight. The third, who was the most visible, had short hair that was so blonde it looked nearly white. Emma hadn't even noticed, but they were staring at her and Hook. Even from there she could see the mischief in their eyes. They beckoned for her to come to them.

"Who are they?" She asked, suddenly feeling tempted to join them. The water seemed to glow, just like the fish and rocks she had seen earlier. It looked so welcoming, so serene.

"It's not who they are you should worry about, Swan. It's _what _they are that really matters." Emma could barley pay attention to what he was saying, until he pulled her back again and forced her to look up at him.

"What?" She almost snapped, sounding much harsher than she had intended.

"They're mermaids, darling." Emma raised both her eyebrows.

"Seriously?" She glanced back at them, but not long enough to get pulled in again. "Should we go talk to them? What if they tell Peter Pan we're here?" She still couldn't get over the fact that Peter Pan was real, let alone evil. Then again her parents are Snow White and Prince Charming and she climbed a beanstalk with Captain Hook. Her life couldn't get much more surreal than it already had. She looked up at Hook to find that his eyes had been drained of any and all amusement. Instead his face was serious.

"No, we should most definitely not. If we did, we'd be dead." He narrowed his eyes in their direction. "They'd drown me and then they'd proceed to skin you. While you're still alive." He grimaced. "I don't think either of us would enjoy that very much, now would we?" He cocked an eyebrow.

Emma's eyes had widened, and she looked back at them in disgust. "The real world sucks." She mumbled, having almost believed that she could be happier in a world different from hers. But they were all the same. Each one filled with it's own set of horrors.

"Emma?"

Hearing her name caused her to turn in the direction of her mother. Just by looking at her she could tell how worn out she was. Her stare held a look of concern as she looked back and forth between her and Hook.

"What are you doing up there?" Snow asked hesitantly, trying to look over the boulder that hid the mermaids from view, but unable to see anything. Emma shrugged, glancing over her shoulder for a moment.

"Trying to figure out where we should start looking."

"I suggest we go another way. We wouldn't want to disturb our little friends." Hook gestured toward the women and Emma shuddered at the thought of what they might do to them if they did.

Emma waited as Hook made his way off the rock. As soon as his feet were back on the ground he turned and offered his good hand to help her down.

"I can manage." She assured him, but he didn't take no for an answer. As soon as she moved to step down, he took hold of her hand anyway. As soon as she was next to him, she slid her hand away from his quickly and moved closer to her mother. Snow eyed her with a look Emma didn't recognize but before she could ask what it was she was thinking, she heard the sound of something snapping in the woods. It was faint, but she knew she had heard something, for Hook and her mom both turned to look as well.

"We should start moving." Hook suggested, running his hand through his hair.

"Do you know who it is?" Snow looked nervously towards Charming, reaching for him until his fingers intwined with hers.

"No, but I don't really want to wait and here to find out."

"Alright, then let's go." Regina said, making her way over with Rumple at her side. "The magic is only going to hold for so long."

_Snap._

The noise was much closer this time. It seemed as though it could have come from any part of the forest, leaving them with few choices.

"We're going to have to climb the bolder." Emma looked toward Hook, very much panicked. No part of her wanted to deal with the mermaids that waited on the other side.

"No, I say we make a run for it. There's a chance that whatever is in that forest is a safer bet than the mermaids." Hook looked over at Rumple. "Wouldn't you agree?" He asked through gritted teeth.

Rumple's grip tightened on his cane, memories if his unfortunate time there resurfacing. "Indeed, it - "

_Crack._

"It's time to run." Hook practically shouted, and before Emma could even blink he was hidden behind the trees. Looking at her parents her eyes widened.

"Run!" Charming insisted, pushing her forward, and tightening his hold on Snow's hand. It didn't take long for her legs to begin working and before she knew it, the beach was a blur behind her, until it disappeared completely and all she was left with were trees.


	3. Chapter 3

**Note:**_ I'm so sorry for the very, very late update. But I was re-inspired and I hope this chapter suffices!_

"Mom!" Emma's voice cracked as it rose through the trees. She had been running, trying to keep her eyes locked on Hook's back, but when a slight pain became uncomfortably present in her side, she figured she had ran far enough. What she hadn't thought about was everyone who was behind her. Mary Margret and David were nowhere to be found and neither were Gold or Regina. Her breathing was shallow, sweat already dripping down her back.

"Dad!" She yelled again, just as a hand grabbed hold of her shoulder. She jumped slightly before realizing it was only Hook and pushed his hand away.

"Perhaps you should be a little more quiet, love. There are ears everywhere." He motioned with his hook. Ignoring him she started back the way they came.

"We need to find my parents." She said, before he could ask where she was going. When she didn't hear him following, she looked toward him her patience growing thin. He was now leaning against a large tree trunk, eyeing his own distorted reflection in his hook.

"And lessen the time we have alone?" He pouted, a flicker of playfulness in his eyes. With that, Emma rolled her own and took a deep breath. She was about to speak when the sound of footsteps suddenly became very loud. Hook shot up and she backed toward him trying to figure out which way they were coming from. She was about to push him forward and start running again when the fabric of her mother's shirt came into view, along with her beautifully black hair and worried expression.

"Emma!" She called in relief, rushing toward her daughters side. "I thought we lost you." She shook her head, straightening out the blonde hair with her hands as if to make sure she was really okay.

"I thought I lost _you_." Emma said with a small smile.

"I don't want to cut this little reunion short, but we should probably get on with our little rescue mission." Hook arched an eyebrow.

"Any ideas?" Regina crossed her arms over her chest, looking around to make sure no one else was nearby.

"I think we should split up. We'll cover more ground that way."

"Are you crazy?" Charming asked, stepping closer to Hook, his hand on his gun.

"Perhaps, but I'm also pretty sure that each of us knows how to handle ourselves in dire situations. As I've heard, the two of you make a quite exceptional team." He pointed at both Charming and Snow. "No one really likes you two..." He turned toward Rumple and Regina. "And well, Swan has witnessed for herself what a great team we make, and I suppose I can give her a second chance and hope that she doesn't betray me again..." He ran his good hand through his hair.

"If you think I'm going to trust you alone with my daughter, you're -"

"David." Emma said, gently resting her hand on his arm. "He's got a point. Although I think it be better if one of you went with Regina and Gold, and one with us. You guys don't know the land after all."

Both Charming and Snow gave each other concerned looks and then nodded in agreement.

"Okay. But I'm coming with you." Charming said, walking closer to Hook. "And if you try anything, _mate_. I will shoot you."

"I thought we weren't mates." Hook flashed a crooked smile.

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At first, all Neal was aware of was the darkness. It engulfed him. But as minutes, or hours or perhaps even days passed, a small light began to grow. But with light came the awareness of pain. A large groan fell through his lips as he opened his eyes. At first all he could make out was the sky, but as his eyes focused he saw a young women walking toward him. She rested a hand against his cheek and wiped his forehead with a cloth. She was speaking, but he couldn't make sense of her words for a moment.

"How are you feeling?" She asked again, her voice soft and gentle. Neal licked his lips, his mouth utterly dry.

"Like shit." He muttered. The lady smiled, and placed down the cloth, before helping him to sit upright. That's when he got a lovely reminder of the bullet wound in his side. He gasped between gritted teeth and brought his hand protectively to his body.

"I know it hurts." She said, as she put a few things into a wooden bowl and stood up. "But you're awake. Which means you're getting better." Her smile seemed unable to falter as she carried the bowl to a small shelf and started putting some things away. Neal took this chance to look around. He was sitting on several pillows, in a quaint little home. Everything was made of wood save for a few things that were rock. He looked out the window - which had only curtains and no glass - and saw the tops of trees. This meant he was off ground, in what land, he didn't know.

"Where am I?" He asked. The woman pushed a piece of blonde hair from her eyes and tucked it behind one of her ears.

She sat next to him with a cup in her hands "I think you should have some water before you ask any questions." She offered him the cup and he took it, leaning his head back a little and finishing the drink within seconds. His mouth felt instant relief as the liquid went down his throat and for the first time since he woke up, he smiled a little.

"What's your name?" The woman asked, curiosity flickering in her eyes in a way that was almost familiar to him.

"So you get to ask questions and not me?" He arched an eyebrow as he put the cup down beside him. Her smile grew.

"Alright. A name for a name then." She titled her head and offered her hand. "I'm Wendy. Wendy Darling."


End file.
